S.B. No. 990, introduced by Bettencourt and Smithee, aims to increase the punishment for certain conduct constituting the offense of murder. The bill repeals Section 1(b) of Article 37.071 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which suggests a significant change in how murder offenses may be prosecuted and penalized in Texas.

The legislation specifies that the changes will only apply to offenses committed on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. Offenses occurring before this date will continue to be governed by the existing laws, ensuring that any elements of an offense that took place prior to the effective date are treated under the former legal framework.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Penal Code 19.03 (Penal Code 19)
Senate Committee Report: Penal Code 19.03 (Penal Code 19)